Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/72

 Dermat told him the glorious and heavy news, and Finn answered:

'Thanks, Dermat. We are spellbound and powerless. Go down and keep the ford till the sun rise and the Fena come to your help.'

Then Conan cried out:

'My hunger and thirst sitting here still are greater than I can bear. Over there in the Palace of the Island there is plenty to eat and drink. Bring me wine and meat, O Dermat.'

'This is no time, Conan,' said Dermat, 'for thinking of eating and drinking.'

'Ah, Dermat, if this were a maiden's voice now,' said Conan, 'you would not refuse…'

So Dermat went down to Fatha and bade him defend the ford while he fetched meat and drink from the Palace of the Island. There he saw men deep in the feast. He slipped in and waited in a dark passage. He waylaid a cupbearer and striking off his head snatched the drinking cup. From under the king's eyes, amid a crowd of revellers, he carried off a full dish.

At the ford he found Fatha sleeping, and though he wondered at this he did not awaken him, but ran up with his burden. He threw the meat in at an opening in the wall to Conan. The drink he poured through a hole in the roof down into the dry sink of Conan's throat.

Rapidly descending he took his place beside the still sleeping Fatha. It was not long before the three Kings of the Island of the Torrent approached with their host. They greeted Dermat in a friendly manner, reminding him that they had been fellow pupils in warfare. But Dermat grasped his sword and stood upright between the rocks. The sound of the combat roused Fatha, and for one moment he set upon Dermat in anger that he